On May 19, The Brooklyn Hospital Center’s Board of Trustees announced that Dr. Richard Becker will take over as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective June 30, 2008. Dr. Becker will replace current President and CEO Samuel Lehrfeld, who is retiring. Dr. Becker comes to The Brooklyn Hospital Center from the George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C., where he served as CEO, as well as Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs and Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine. Dr. Becker completed his general surgical residency at what is now New York Downtown Hospital.